Charge forming device



June 29, 1948. CjF, KLABURNER 2,444,199

CHARGE FORMING DEVICE Filed Sept. 19, 1942 0,6575@ iA/1 Haye/V512,

Patented June 29, 1948 UNITED STATES'V PATENT oFFlcs CHARGE FORMING DEVICE Chester F. Klaburner, Baltimore, Md. kApplication September 19, 1942, `Serial No. 458,939

3 claims.. (o1. 12s-'421) ment and mechanism for improving the ldistrii bution of fuel to the engine proper; for providing a device for augmenting the functions and operations of the carbureter used; and for automatically feeding additional fuel to boost the carbureter supply. Another object is to have the device arranged for insertion in the conventional piping and connections about the engine, carburet-er and control valves, so that it will not materially disturb their positions and operations, and of a size and proportion to fit readily in place. A still further object is to increase the efficiency of the fuel used in the engine to a substantial degree and eliminate various tendencies to use it wastefully through the use of a carbureter alone. Means for automatically oper-v ating the spark control in cooperation with the augmented fuel supply to the engine is also included in the objects of this invention.

Other objects will become apparent as the invention is more fully set forth.

This invention involves the use of extra chambers, mechanism andconnections between the main supply tank and the engine of a conventional internal combustion engine. It is preferably used inA parallel with the carbureter and its connections to augment the action of Athe latter i and make the mixture of fuel gases to the engine more effective for explosive combustion. It consists in general of a booster device consistingof a float chamber attached to the piping running from the main fuel supply tank and feeding into the manifold of the engine. The chamber has a float forcontrolling the amount yof liquid fuel therein and a valve foradmitting predetermined quantities of air thereto. This chamber forms a mixing chamber for the air and liquid fuel fumes to combine in, in predetermined proportions. The air valve works automatically and keeps a sufficient amount of air in the tank to provide an explosive mixture with the gaseous fuel that evaporates and mixes in it. This is drawn into the engine with the mixture that is The total,

drawn through the carbureter. amount of fuel mixture drawn into the engine with the booster supply is about equal to that drawn in when the carbureter is used alone in' the conventional system. The generalfaction of the conventional carbureter delivers relativellr raw gasoline to the engine in proportion'to the vacuum action produced by the running engine.

2 The addition of the booster 'drive in parallel al-i lows the fuel gas vapors to mix with air through the automatic valve in the relatively large chamber space provided for this action. This mixture is not as rich as that coming from the carbureter but is quite saturated. The intro-` duction of air alone to the mixture going from the carbureter has been found to improve it but the dilution is apt to betoo great and erratic to give proper combustion. The introduction of the air impregnated with fuel vapors mixed in the booster chamber works better and avoids the excessive dilution caused by the use of raw air alone. As the connection to the manifold is at a location approximately the same as where the carbureter is attached7 the total fuel mixture to the engine is mixed together. This makes the mixture reaching the engine partially carbureter mixture and partially booster mixture, the two combining mechanically to make a mixture having a fuel content ldifferent from either alone, and making the intermixture of fuel and air more homogeneous. This homogeneous condition being due to the wet or over-saturated condition of the gasoline mixture from the carbuyreter turbulently combining with the relatively dry and non-saturated gasoline from the booster chamber and resulting in a nearly perfect explosive mixture as it enters the engine.

In the drawings which illustrate a form of this invention by way of example:

Figure l is a plan view of the arrangement of the apparatus used in this invention, and

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the device with parts broken away to show the internal construction of the apparatus.

Similar reference vcharacters refer parts throughout the drawings.

In order to provide a more comprehensive description of the invention, reference is made to the shop manual 1937-1938 series of the Packard Motor Car Company, page 54, where the Stromberg Carbureter EE-14 is indicated and its adjustments described. This description may be readily found in other literature and is well understood among those familiar with automobile construction and maintenance. The reference is made specifically in this case forl the convenience of the readers of this specification and to enable them to identify the specic details of construction pertaining to the conventional equipment used in the system of this invention. This carbureter has been selected arbitrarily and could be substituted by other well-known types of carbureters of other makes. It is designated as to similar l, with an intake pipe connection 2 coming from a fuel tank 3 filled With gasoline 4, vent 5 and cap 6. Its outlet connection 'l is attached to the manifold 8 of an engine. It has a butterfly valve S pivoted diametrically and positioned to the manifold and air intake 2t. A vacuum automatic spark control device I with a diaphragm Il, cables I2 and distributor tming shaft i3 (see Figure 137 in same manual) is attached to the vacuum piping I4 at the side I 5 of the carbureter and controlled through the use of a Vacuum hole I6 opening into the carbureter. A control valve or inspirator is connected to the vacuum Diping It by adjustment nut 22 as indicated and serves to provide a pulsating control to the flow of fuel to the manifold from the booster device. This valve |1 has a connection -28 and tubing i9 that connects with the metal lioat chamber booster device 29, This device has an automatic air valve 2| for admitting air into it in predetermined quantities to -the upper portion .24 and the amount of airadmitted isdetermined yby the adjustment of regulator 25. It has also a ball iioat 26 inside with a rod 2l and seat 29 for 'opening and closing the valve 30, provided as shown. The air-valve *2| is preferably placed in the top portion of the float chamber v2| relatively7 far above the gasoline level, so as to mix with the vapors therefrom, as indicated in Figure 2. The carbureter and booster device are fed with gasoline from the `same fuel tank 3 through a pump 3| operated by motor 32 and run in parallel to the engine manifold 8. The oat chamber device has la cylindrical form as shown with its inlet 'connections 33 :at the bottom end portion, and its outlet connection 34 at the-top portion adjacent `to the connection 35 forr the valve 2|. The Aliquid fuel enters the booster devi-ce 20 and when lled to a level 36 near the middle causes the ball'iioat 26 Ato rise, lift its rod 21 -andslots 42 and close the inner valve 3d by seating the seat v29 in place. This stops the flow of fuel into this device. When the liquid fuel is drawn or evaporated'from the booster chamber, `it lowers the ball iioat 25 causing it to admit more fuel into `it through the yvalve all, until the chamber is .properly filled again to its designated level. The fuel Vfrom the booster'chamber devicepasses through the in-spirator control device H before it reaches -t-he manifold. This inspirator is cylindrical with a piston 3l' operating within it, and held under tension in one direction -by a coiled springi. The Walls of the cylinder are provided with Aan end opening k28 leading to the booster chamber -With tubing |9, a side outlet connected with tubing 39 to the manifold -8 and vanother end o'pening 40 connected with tubing f|8 `and adjustment plug 22 to :the vacuum connections 41| Y'adjacent the carbureter. It Will be noted vin Figure 2 that the vacuum created by the moving pistons of the engines (not shownbutwell-understood) acts through-the manifold 8, and sucks the gasoline mixture .from the float chamber 20 through the tubing 39; while the spark control device l0 vhas the vacuum created through the outlet I6 spaced away from .the first and situated outside of vthe manifold in the neck of the carbureter. This outlet le is disposedat the side entering .into an auxiliary chamber and from v alone. In action, it is somewhat the reverse to that of a hydraulic ram.

The vacuum operated timing device l0 in this application is of conventional form, but instead of being operated by direct line from the carburetor without modification, as is customary, it is affected by the action, to a modified extent, of the inspirator valve I. In fact it is actuated in parallel with this valve. This dampens the action of the device, compared with the action of the line 4| thereon without the valve connected to it. Likewise the carburetor has this additional work to do. It operates the inspira- Ator-valve |`l `to provide an auxiliary supply of fuel to the manifold and also has its supply of fuel to the manifold and also has its supply directed to `mix .positively with this auxiliary supply. This may be noted in Figure 2. It should be noted that the fuel supply from the pump 3| towards the manifold is bled by the pipe leading to the auxiliary `reservoir `at 33. This take-off from the carburetor feed modifies the action of the `carburetor since it has an interrupting and varied actionon the feed to it, as the various other parts of the system operate. These parts include 33, 2t, i9, l'l, '-39 etc. The action `is relatively intricate and inherently affects the 4Whole system, which includes the carburetor, manifold, fuel supply and vacuum distributor. The result is a more efficient fuel transmission tothe engine and more sensitive reaction toits load requirements.

In the operation of the system, the `eng-ine is started and induces a vacuum action on the carbureter and the booster device. Both are induced to deliver their respective mixtures of fuel and air to the manifold where they are mixed and proceed to the 'engine cylinders for combustion and power. This-can be followed along the lines and arrows indicated in Figure 1. The inspirator Ireceives air mixed with fuel vapors in the booster chamber and controls its fiow to the manifold. As the engine Iproduces a pulsating vacuum action it releases the piston 37 and partially or fully opens the supply of gas vapors and air mixture from the boosterdevice according to the number of cylinders and speed thereof. At the same time, the carbureter actslikewise. The engine takes the fuel mixture in the conventional manner, but instead of having its carbureter alone, it has the combination mixture from the carbureter land booster device. The mixture being more intimate and without `raw particles of fuel to handle provides a more completely and uniformly combined gasoline and air mixture for delivery to the engine cylinder in .a form that can be burned more efficiently. The vacuum drawing in the fuel, also controls the position of the distributor sparking, and works on the carbureter land `booster device to get the most efficient explosions. -It controls the travel of the piston in the inspirator device, and feeds the mixture through it in proportion to rthe 10a-d and engine action. Whenthe engine-is stopped and no vacuum .action is induced, the spring 38 actuates the piston 31 to close the inlet and outlet of the booster device. When the engine is idling the throttle valve 9 shuts off the vacuum .by closing the hole I6 in the carbureter I. The piston 31 is actuated .by the spring 3B and closes off the inlet and outlet of the inspirator I1, cutting off theboostcr-supply.

rIhe action of the vgasoline mixtures is dual, in that theengine is fed fuel from two sources, either of which differs in quality from the other. They are mixed together by crossing at right angles across each others path at a point where each is more or less spread out, and being of different quality, become after mixture, intermediate in quality and close to the explosive mixture sought and desirable. This is because, the carbureter supply discharge is subject to oversaturation, while the booster is subject to undersaturation, Their mixing together resulting in olose-to-saturation. The object of passing air through the 'upper portion of the booster chamber over the vaporizing supply of liquid fuel (like gasoline) settled in the bottom thereof, is to partially enrich the air with same. This is distinct from the operation of the carbureter, which under higher loads particularly, passes the fuelair mixture saturated with its fuel quota and some of the fuel in drop-like form. The dual supply arrangement using the booster makes the mixture normal and more thoroughly mixed with air. The surrounding of the gasoline with air (or oxygen) gets it ready for more complete combustion, (explosion) than it would if just in the condition that the carbureter alone would inject it. This is particularly the case in the manifold where the space is not restricted, and the two fuel mixtures can expand together as they join.

While but one general form of the invention is shown in the drawings, it is not desired to limit this application to this particular form or in any other 'way otherwise than limited by the scope thereof, as it is appreciated that other forms could be made that would use the same principles and come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. In operative combination with; the manifold, carburetor, ignition control actuated by suction and fuel connections of an internal combustion engine, an ancillary fuel system comprising in combination, a booster unit for holding an ancillary fuel supply taken from the said connections ahead of the carburetor, float means in the unit for controlling the level of its fuel supply, an air admission valve for combining air with the vapors from the fuel in the said unit, an inspirator having a chamber therein for the reception of fuel, inlet and outlet ports connected with said chamber and the booster unit and the manifold respectively, means in said chamber for opening and closing said ports when actuated by the suction created by the carburetor for operating it `and the ignition control for varying the supply of fuel from said inspirator.

2. In operative combination with the manifold, carburetor, ignition control actuated by suction and fuel connections of an internal combustion engine, an ancillary fuel system comprising in combination, a booster unit for holding an ancillary fuel supply taken from the said connections ahead of the carburetor, float means in the unit for controlling the level of its fuel supply, an air a-dmission valve for combining air with the vapors from the fuel in the said unit, an inspirator h'aving a chamber therein for the reception of fuel, inlet and outlet ports connected with said chamber and the booster unit and the manifold respectively, means in said chamber for opening and closing said ports when actuated by the suction created by the carburetor for operating it and the ignition control for varying the supply of fuel from said inspirator and a reservoir for fuel interposed in the connections between the unit and the fuel supply and having a valve therein for controlling the supply of fuel to the unit therefrom operated by said float.

3. In operative combination with the manifold, carburetor, ignition control actuated by suction and fuel connections of an internal combustion engine, an ancillary fuel system comprising in combination, a booster unit for holding and ancillary fuel supply taken from the said connections ahead of the carburetor, float means in the unit for controlling the level of its fuel supply, an air admission valve for combining air with the vapors from the fuel in the said unit, an inspirator having a chamber therein for the reception of fuel, inlet and outlet ports connected with said chamber and the booster unit and the manifold respectively, means in said chamber for opening and closing said ports when actuated by the suction created by the carburetor for operating it and th'e ignition control for varying the supply of fuel from said inspirator and a reservoir for fuel interposed in the connections between the unit and the fuel supply Aand having a valve therein for controlling the supply of fuel to the unit operated by said float, a resilient member for actuating the inspirator in opposition to th'e suction aforesaid, said system operating together with the said carburetor, manifold, ignition control and fuel connections, so that the increasing of the speed of the engine increases the suction effect thereof on the carburetor and raises the inspirator piston valve to allow a fuller flow of fuel from `the booster unit to flow directly into the manifold, while a decrease in speed thereof will cause a reduction in same,

CHESTER F. KLABURNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 951,501 Hancock et al Mar. 8, 1910 1,381,331 Pohl Jan. 14, 1921 1,490,581 Bell Apr. 15, 1924 1,619,894 Swartz Mar. 8, 1927 1,656,369 Chandler Jan. 17, 1928 1,771,357 Shannon et al. July 22, 1930 1,990,622 Sykes Feb. 12, 1935 2,075,330 Angell Mar. 30, 1937 2,161,409 Dalton June 6, 1939 2,285,905 Cunningham June 9, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 196,443 England Apr, 26, 1923 777,361 France Nov. 26, 1934 

